Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf
by Angel of Neptune
Summary: Ruby admits to Belle that she is still afraid of the wolf, afraid that she'll lose the people she loves again.


Title: Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf

Author: AoN

Word Count: 1,200

Genre: General

Rating: G

Feedback: Please and thank you! Let me know what I'm doing right or doing wrong.

Summary: Ruby admits to Belle that she is still afraid of the wolf, afraid that she'll lose the people she loves again.

"It still smells like wet dog in here," Belle commented with a wrinkled nose.

Ruby peeked out from her red hood with a slight pout as she held the cloak close to her shivering body. "I already apologized," Ruby grumbled under her breath, watching as Belle moved a few books from the checkout counter to the rolling cart.

"What was that?" Belle asked, turning away from the neat top row of books she just created.

"I apologize," Ruby clarified, speaking up. "Again. The storm came out of nowhere and my cloak was here."

"I know – Ruby, you're shivering," Belle observed.

"No, I'm not," Ruby remarked childishly as she was betrayed by her own chattering teeth. "I mean, I promised that I would help you here after a quick run."

"You don't have to, not if it means you catching a cold," Belle remarked. "I don't want you getting sick."

"I won't get sick," Ruby stated stubbornly.

For a moment, they stared each other down. There was no denying the fact that Ruby was for certain Granny's granddaughter: the stubbornness between the two was rather uncanny. However, Belle could be equally as stubborn, which resulted in these little moments of bickering. Each was always convinced that they knew what was best for themselves or what was best for the other. In reality, they each understood that they had their best interest at heart. They cared for each other, normally shown whenever Belle showed up at the end of Ruby's closing diner shift or whenever Ruby turned up at the library during her evening's off in order to give Belle a helping hand. Each visit, no matter where, always ended on the same note: the two would accompany each other back to the bed and breakfast, bid each other good night, and part ways in the hallway to their own separate rooms.

"At least take my jacket," Belle offered. "That cloak is completely soaked."

"I'll turn back into that wet dog if I take it off," Ruby warned. "Which probably won't help with the smell, I think."

"But you won't see the moon from in here," Belle pointed out, gesturing towards the windows and their pulled blinds.

"It's the cloak. It stops me from transforming or it'll transform me back," Ruby reminded. "Even if I can't see the moon, I still wear it as a precaution."

"Then why – " Belle quickly stifled her question, realizing immediately, but not quick enough, how insensitive in nature it would without a doubt be. "Never mind," she added as an afterthought.

"No, it's okay."

"No, it's not."

"Really, Belle, it's okay."

"It's truly not," Belle stressed.

A pause of silence hung in the air between the two of them. Ruby sighed heavily when Belle turned her attention back to the books on the counter, to the books she did not have to tip toe around, to the books she did not have to fear causing accidental offense. This was another one of their shared characteristics: they did not like to push each other, not when their past lives were involved. Ruby knew vague details about Belle, that Belle was held captive for a period of time, just as Belle was aware that Ruby was the very wolf from the vicious rumors and tales that reached her own kingdom.

They never touched upon such topics, but Belle was more than curious, especially after the events of the previous month that left her chained in the library, alone with her thoughts to haunt her: the raging mob hunting down Ruby, who never meant to harm anyone. How did it come down to that? How did Ruby become the wolf, and how had she become so afraid?

"I didn't know," Ruby replied, answering Belle's unspoken question. "I mean, I knew that there was a killer wolf terrorizing our village, slaughtering our livestock and killing our best hunters, but I never thought that… I never would have thought that the wolf was me. I never had reason to believe it was me," Ruby explained to Belle, who kept silent. "Granny never told me, not until it was too late. I ended up killing my love. I killed Peter."

"Ruby…"

"Granny made me believe this cloak would protect me from the wolf – that the color red would repel the wolf," Ruby continued. "I mean, I guess she wasn't wrong. It does offer protection. Instead of keeping the wolf away from me, it prevents me from transforming into it. Either way, it repels, right?"

"I'm sorry, Ruby," Belle murmured, shaking her head. What else could she say that wasn't a sympathetic apology over something she had no control. "I'm so sorry," she repeated.

For Belle's sake, Ruby forced an ever so faint smile. "I've learned to control the wolf since," she said, purposely forgetting to mention how. That was a story for another time perhaps, another rainy day. "But had I known when I was younger, I would have been more serious about wearing the cloak."

"Because it prevents the transformation," Belle reiterated. "Because it's made of… a certain material? The color?"

Tilting her head, Ruby frowned slightly. "You know," she began. "I'm not entirely sure. When I was younger, much younger, red was my favorite color, but then I got sick of it because of wolfstime. It all started when I turned thirteen and I hated wearing it. Detested it, even. Wearing it to bed is still uncomfortable."

"Still?"

"Sometimes, I'm afraid that I'll lose control while I'm asleep," Ruby admitted as Belle abandoned the books on the counter and crossed the lobby to where Ruby stood.

"I'd rather be safe than sorry," Ruby explained, tugging at the drawstrings of her hood as she kept her eyes averted from Belle, as though she was ashamed of the fact. "I've already hurt so many people. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore."

Belle shook her head. "You won't," she stated.

"I know. I know that I probably won't," Ruby mumbled quietly. "But there's still a possibility, isn't there? I mean, what if I end up losing – hurting – what if I end up hurting Granny? Or even Snow? … You?"

"Me…?" Belle asked, the corners of her lips tugging into a small smile.

Still unable to look up, Ruby shifted slightly on her feet as she gave a small nod. "You…" Ruby began, softly, trying to carefully piece her words together. "You mean a lot to me, Belle."

"And _you_ mean a lot to me," Belle replied, gently tipping Ruby's chin up with her finger, forcing Ruby to finally look at her.

A small, barely audible laugh left Ruby, who felt silly for allowing nerves to get the best of her. Normally, she didn't; this was not like Ruby. She had not felt this way, not in a long time. Before Ruby could continue to contemplate, or gather her thoughts, Belle leaned in slightly and Ruby found herself doing the same, until their lips met.

_**End**_


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